The use of photos to investigate ecological change

Global change is causing ecosystems to at unprecedented rates and the urgency quantify ecological high. We therefore need all possible sources of data address key knowledge gaps. Ground-based photos are a form remote sensing an unconventional source with high potential improve our understanding change. They can provide invaluable information on conditions in past present relevant spatiotemporal scales that very difficult obtain other approaches. Here we review use ground-based set research topics, such as biodiversity community ecology, phenology, global ecology landscape ecology. highlight three main photo-based methods (repeat photography, time-lapse photography public archives), alongside which discuss case studies demonstrate novel applications these methods, answer fundamental questions. Synthesis. Photos significantly support biotic responses rapidly changing world. cover relatively large temporal spatial scales, amounts limited time investment. To exploit their full potential, invest not only technological advances compile, process analyse images but also proper management.